Misfortunes can happen once in a while and vehicle owners know it but thanks to this digital age we are in, vehicle breakdowns are no longer necessary as frightening or stressful. Local roadside assistance service providers are just around the corner, all set to respond to those who are in need of just about any situation.
However, breaking down in the middle of a remote, hardly accessible area with a lack of tow truck and roadside assistance nearby is another story. The waiting time can be downright perilous. Thus, you have to keep these safety tips in mind:
1. Before heading out on a trip, make sure your car is loaded with a roadside emergency care kit.
A roadside care kit will always come in handy in times of emergency. At the core, it should include oil, radiator fluid, and other basic fluids, a tire jack and iron, emergency flares, extra batteries, early warning devices or also known as triangle reflectors, hand tools, jumper cables, sockets and wrenches, white flour sack towel, and a flashlight.
It will also help bringing with you your first aid kit at all times along with high-protein snacks and drinking water just in case the unexpected happens.
While waiting for a professional vehicle breakdown service…
2. Find a safe place to pull over.
If your car starts acting up in the middle of a trip, remember to do these in order:
– Turn your hazard lights on.
– Gradually slow down but make sure any vehicle behind you will have enough time to adjust its pace to avoid a collision.
– Until a place looks and feels safe, do not pull over. This, even if it means you have to drive on with a flat tire.
3. Unless not safe, never attempt to get out of your car.
In such stressful situations, it might be tempting to get out to breathe some fresh air and try to repair the issue on your own, staying inside your car with your seatbelt buckled on and doors locked is still the safer bet.
4. If you must have to get out, do it with extreme caution.
Instances like having busted hazard lights or having no early warning devices put in place may make it unsafe to stay inside your car while waiting for your trusted roadside assistance company. In such cases, should you feel like you need to get out, always do it with caution. A way to do so would be by wearing your safety vest and then making your way out through the passenger side.
However, if the area is out of cell site coverage, hindering you from making a call to a reputable vehicle recovery team nearby, one way to tell the people that you need help is by securing a white flour sack towel in your window or trying it to your antenna such that it’ll be able to flap in the wind. Once done, go back inside your car and wait until somebody calls help for you.